Luxury self-catering accommodation in Upper Slaughter
Built entirely from Cotswolds stone, and speckled with seventeenth-century thatches, red telephone boxes, and rose bushes that clamber over garden walls, Upper Slaughter earned its title as England's prettiest village.
Nestled in a sleepy valley in the Cotswolds AONB, Upper Slaughter is one of the region's famous twins, and one of England’s “doubly-thankful” villages. Despite its name (which comes from the Old English slohtre meaning mudland), the village is known for its flurry of colourful cottage gardens and iconic honeyed stone dwellings. Among its manors and cottages are more relics of the past, like the ancient Norman parish with stained glass windows, or the old water mill that tips its hat to passers by. Here, old-world living in new-world style is the criteria; and all within minutes of the region's most famous spots, like Stow-on-the-Wold and Bibury's Arlington Row.
From Pride and Prejudice to Bridget Jones's Diary, the Cotswolds has earned its place on the silver screen. Even in this rather tiny village, a handful of homes have become backdrops for crime-fighting priests and dysfunctional MI5 agents. From Lower Slaughter, the entire AONB is on your doorstep. Venture to Tetbury to tour the gardens of Their Majesties The King Charles III and The Queen Consort, or make an early morning beeline to Bibury for truffle cheese toasties and chai lattes, bought from the deli tucked behind a classic Cotswolds sage-and-stone exterior. Whilst there, consider visiting the wildflower-wrapped spa at Barnsley House.
The Studio
Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, UK
In the heart of Upper Slaughter, one of England’s “doubly-thankful” villages, The Studio is a luxury Cotswolds barn that wouldn’t be out of place in New York's artsy Tribeca.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,495 per week, £1,195 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Pizza oven and fire pits